I sympathise with Louise Charach (Opinion, April 16) about the behaviour of mating gulls.

This spring, for the first time, I have been besieged by gulls. Two pairs seem to be resident on my roof and the noise they make in the early mornings and at teatime is unbelievable. When I pull my curtains back in the morning, there they are on my front lawn, snatching up tufts of it, attacking my flower borders, snapping off wallflower heads and shredding aubretia. I am a keen gardener.

I have tried putting netting up and weighting it but they get this away with ease. More worryingly, plastic and bits of rubber and lining from my roof have all landed in the garden. My builder assures me they are not nesting but says I should keep watch.

For how long does the mating season go on? I have been having this trouble for six weeks already. I am surrounded by bungalows and no one else seems to be affected.

-M Prior, Saltdean